biz. magazine - december 2013

December 2013

DELIVERED TO BUSINESS LEADERS THROUGHOUT SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER

’Tis the SeasonTrail of Lights Showcases Region

BIZ ToolsBooks, Apps & More

B E N T E L E R K I C K S O F F Y E A R I N R E V I E W

2 Biz. Magazine • December 2013

The First Word

It was only a matter of time. When we revamped BIZ back in July, we went to great lengthsto make sure each and every story, advertisement, and page were well-proofed. We didn’twant anything to take away from the “wow” factor of the publication. As each month wentby with minimal mistakes, we became more confident in our ability to produce a “nearlyerror free” product. However, confidence can breed a lackadaisical attitude. We were bittenby this bug — not once, but twice.

During the proofing process of the November edition of BIZ., we missed a font issue with twovery important ads — University Veterinary Hospital and Bossier Chamber of Commerce. Read-ers may have noticed some of the type on these ads spread out or became jumbled.

The ads looked fine when proofed prior to adding them to the page. Something happened dur-ing the export for the printer that caused this anomaly. It would be easy to blame technologyfor this problem, except for one “small” detail.

Once the pages are sent to our printer, they send back proofs of those pages prior to finalprinting. The problem was apparent on the press proofs and should have been caught by thefinal proofer — the author of this column.

It wasn’t until BIZ was printed and back at our office thatwe noticed the now “glaring” errors. Quite frankly, the typeissue was like a dark cloud over an otherwise great edition— at least to us.

In response, our team sprang into action, informing the af-fected advertisers of the problem and proposed a “makeup” solution. Our clients were extremely gracious and mer-ciful — something we greatly appreciate.

There is a valuable business lesson to be learned from this.Regardless of how efficient and proficient a company is,there is always room for error. It is what you learn from themistake and how you handle “coming up short” that reallymakes the difference.

Enjoy this issue of BIZ. I can assure you it has been well-proofed.

Falling ShortMistakes will be made from time to time; how they are handled makes the difference

David Specht Jr.President of Specht Newspapers, Inc.

Read his blog about leadership atwww.DavidASpecht.com

He may be reached via email [email protected].

December 2013 • Biz. Magazine 3


Contents

Volume 4, Number 9 | ©Copyright 2013 by Specht Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved. BIZ. is published each month by Specht Newspapers, Inc.at 4250 Viking Drive, Bossier City, LA 71111. Telephone (318) 747-7900. Information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to bereliable, but the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed.

20Happy Holiday TrailsHoliday Trail of Lights features communitiesthroughout region.

27The Original “MAC GUY”Maccentric has been in the Apple repair business since 2006

8BIZ ToolsWe share practical tools to help you and yourbusiness succeed.

3 Falling ShortMistakes will be made from time to time; how they are handled makes the difference

5 Be the LeaderIf it is to be in 2014, it is up to me and you

6 Put Me In, CoachMotivating a sales team begins with self motivation.

11 Whew! What A YearMany Changes Took Place in the Social Media World During 2013

13 Answering the “Why”As you head into 2014, take thetime know why you do what you do

24 Dave On Small BusinessKnow what you’re buying when you’re buying

Regulars

On the Cover2013 has been a banner year for Shreve-port-Bossier business and industry. Per-haps the biggest news of the year wasBenteler Steel’s cooperative endeavor withBossier Parish Community College.

BIZ. News OnlineThe BIZ. website at www.bizmagsb.com is Shreveport-Bossier’s homefor business news, updated as it happens. In addition, users can signup for a free BIZ. Daily Report to keep up with BIZ. news from the com-fort of their Inbox.

Want to advertise? http://bizmagsb.com/2013-advertising-kit/

4 Biz. Magazine • December 2013 December 2013 • Biz. Magazine 5

Win-Win Powertools

Isubscribe to many e-newsletters as a resource for information to help me be a better salescoach; one which covers a variety of issues is Just Sell (www.justsell.com). As I review 2013and plan for 2014, I am reminded of an issue that asked “What’s your impact on your peo-ple?” As I began thinking about the idea behind the question, I remembered a conversationwith my top salesperson.

We have an impact on our team every day whether we are aware of it or not. I told this sales-person that she was a leader on my sales team; that the other sellers were watching her andlistening. She protested by telling me that she was only in charge of herself. My response, “Notexactly”. We’re all in sales and selling all of the time. Our #1 product is us! She was outstand-ing at what she did; the other sellers were going to school on her…like it or not.

Think about all the people in whom you have invested during 2013. What has been your im-pact on your clients, prospects, friends, family and co-workers? What are the results of thetime you have spent with them?

If there is doubt in your mind about what your impact has been, check thePower Tools (Power-full Tools) that we can use each day to make a positiveimpact on those around us, such as:

ListeningCommunicatingEmpathyPatienceCaring

If you still are not sure about your impact, ASK!

Three good questions for measuring your affect on others are:

What do you want me to do more of?What do you want me to do less of?What do you want me to continue?Years ago, a sales trainer concluded hispresentation by handing all of us atten-dees a coin with the following state-ment stamped on it:

“If it is to be, it is up to me!” Before we get caught up in holidaybusiness, today is a good time to ask…”How did I do in 2013?” and “Now,What about 2014?”

What has been your impact on yoursales team (everybody around you)?What are your plans for 2014? It’s upto you!

Good Selling!

Jerry

Jerry FrentressSpeaker & Coach, Win-Win Power(ful)Tools for Sales, Service and EmployeeInterviewing. Website: www.WinWin-PowerTools.com.

Business Facebook:www.Facebook.com/WinWinPower-Tools . 453-6080 / Bossier City

Tools You Can Use

When it comes to winning in Business, ithelps to have the right “tools” for the job.

Be the LeaderIf it is to be in 2014, it is up to me and you

Iconsider myself to be a highly motivatedperson. Motivation, in my opinion, is the keyingredient for not only sales success, butsuccess in anything that you set out to ac-complish. As a sales leader, I concern myselfat all times with the motivation of our sales

team. As the coach, it is my job to make sure thatthe team is properly motivated, headed in theright direction and ready to play the game at alltimes!

To do this, I start with myself, asking, “Am I prop-erly motivated?” I cannot expect our sales teamto be highly motivated toward reaching ourgoals as a sales team if I am not setting a proper

example in being highly motivated myself! Ihave always been a self starter. I considerthis a true gift from God. Another gift that Iam blessed with is a sincere desire to helpothers succeed and reach their goals. Thesegiftings have served me well in my positionas a sales team coach.

As a team leader, what steps do you take tomotivate yourself and your sales team? Oneof the first things that I make sure of is that Iam fostering a team environment. The teamapproach is highly effective. Think of your-self as the coach and your sales staff as theteam. Mentor and coach your staff. True,

there will most certainly be times when youhave to take control and do what you must dowithout the input of your sales staff but as muchas possible, give your sales staff input into thedecisions that involve the team. This will moti-vate your sales staff and will also cause them to"buy in" to the decisions or projects you under-take.

Be a great listenerListen to your sales team. Listen to both theirpositives and their negatives. Celebrate theirsuccesses! Celebrate often! Accordingly, also lis-ten to their encounters and experiences that are

not so good. Many times, a not so good situationcan be when they need you and need you to lis-ten the most! This can be highly motivational.

Additionally, make sure that you give your teamALL of the tools that they need in order to besuccessful. To me, the biggest component in thisarea is proper training. Never send your teamonto the field of battle without being properlytrained in both your products, company history,philosophies, etc. In short, make 100 percentsure that your sales team knows how to tell yourcompany's story out in the field.

In terms of tools, have a firm grasp of suchthings as: pricing information, sales informationflyers, etc. Also, computer and social media ac-cess (and the proper use thereof) can also be ahuge help! Proper attention to these areas willsend the motivation of your sales team throughthe roof!

Creating a friendly and competitive environmentcan also be highly motivational!

Try implementing some of the ideas above. Bydoing so, I think you will find your sales teambeing highly motivated and successful! In short,they will be there when you need them to comethrough....they will be asking you to "putme in, coach!"


Randy BrownAdvertising/Marketing Guru

He is the Advertising Director forBossier Newspaper Publishing Com-pany, Inc., publishers of the BossierPress-Tribune and BIZ. Magazine

Randy may be reached at

Marketing B-S (Bossier-Shreveport)

Put Me In, Coach

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Motivating a salesteam begins withself motivation


Biz ToolsDo Something

The speed of business is ever increasing. The successful business leaderstays on top of the tools and information to help his company grow.

Books

What are we reading?The lack of personal accountability has resulted in an epidemic of blame, complaining, and procrastination.No organization-or individual-can achieve goals, compete in the marketplace, fulfill a vision, or developpeople and teams without personal accountability.

The solution involves an entirely new approach. We can no longer ask, "Who dropped the ball?" "Why can'tthey do their work properly?" or "Why do we have to go through all these changes?" Instead, every individ-ual has to ask the question behind the question: "How can I improve this situation?" "What can I con-tribute?" or "How can I make a difference?"

Succinct, insightful, and practical, QBQ! The Question Behind the Question provides a method for puttingpersonal accountability into daily action, which can bring astonishing results: problems get solved, barrierscome down, service improves, teamwork grows, and people adapt to change.

What are they reading?

Never Eat Alone, Keith FerrazziWayne Hogue

The Fred FactorMark SanbornDavid Specht Jr.

EntreLeadership,Dave Ramsey

Sean Green

App of the MonthWatch or listen to The Dave Ramsey Show 24/7 to get your daily dose of real talk about life and money.

Tune in to watch Dave Ramsey, America’s trusted money expert, help real callers as they share stories about their lives, familiesand money. You’ll learn firsthand how to escape debt and build wealth every day through Dave’s life-changing advice.

If you listen closely, you might even hear a story much like yours. Hope has a home on the radio—and hope now streams di-rectly to your iPhone or iPad anytime, anywhere.


Books Listen Up

Worth Following

More Tools

Blog of the MonthBob Burg’s Bloghttp://burg.com/

Bob Burg shares information on topics vital to the success of today’s businessper-son. He speaks for corporations and associations internationally, including fortune500 companies, franchises, and numerous direct sales organizations.

Bob regularly addresses audiences ranging in size from 50 to 16,000 — sharingthe platform with notables including today’s top thought leaders, broadcast per-sonalities, Olympic athletes and political leaders including a former United StatesPresident.

Podcast of the MonthBeyond the To-Do List

Beyond the to do list is a show where host Erik Fisher talks with peo-ple about their perspectives on personal productivity. He talks to avariety of people from friends to personal heroes about how theyhave managed their time, prioritized their tasks, and taken steps toavoid burnout.


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The history of social media isn’t very long anyway, and keeping up withthe changes is like watching a speeding train or a rocket launch.It’s hard to figure it out in the first place, and before you can getthrough a weekend, another network arrives, or changes havehappened to the network you love and already had figuredout. In case you blinked, here are just a few of the things that

happened in the social media world this year.

Google + became a much bigger player in the social network world. It hasn’tovertaken Facebook with number of users, but it’s growing rapidly. Pinterest has hadan 88% growth rate this year, and Tumblr 74%. But don’t rule out Twitter andLinkedIn growth at 40%.

Rumor is that Snapchat recently turned down a $3B offer from Facebook.Snapchat allows users to send messages to one another that disappear shortlyafter being viewed. Stay tuned on this one.

Twitter IPO – Luckily for Twitter, their IPO rollout was a big success. Time will tell onwhether or not you want to buy shares.

Vine came into its own this year. It allows users to create and post 6-second loopingvideos. Businesses are just starting to catch on.

Facebook now has “graph search,” which is just a natural language search through allof the information Facebook knows about you and its 1B users.

Facebook has searchable hashtags. Hashtags are a way of identifying and sortingposts. Ex: If I wanted to share that “Si said the funni-est thing on #DuckDynasty last night,” anyone whosearched on the hashtag #duckdynasty would see allthe posts people had made that included that term:#duckdynasty. Including mine. If you want more ex-posure to your brand, use hashtags well.

Facebook shared that it uses 100,000 individualweights to determine which posts appear in yourNews Feed. Remember, not everything your friends orthe Pages you like will be shown to you. Facebookgets to decide, and it does that based on an algo-rithm. Of course, you don’t get to know what those100,000 things are. So, if you aren’t seeing postsfrom friends or Pages anymore, now you know why.

Changes in the social media world are surprising andnever ending. Stay tuned here for all of thesurprises that 2014 will bring.


Uncommon Sense Marketing

Amy KinnairdSocial Media Evangelist

She trains business owners and entre-preneurs how to use the latest mar-keting tools and techniques to attractand keep clients.

View Amy’s website at www.uncom-monsensemarketing.com.

Whew! What A YearMany Changes Took Place in theSocial Media World During 2013

As you look over 2013 and think about business resolutions for next year, “startwith why.” I’m quoting Simon Sinek, who travels the world teaching leadersand organizations how to inspire people… including how to inspire customersto buy. (Save the date! Sinek will speak at the annual scholarship banquethosted by the Armed Forces Communications and Electrionics Association Ark-LaTex Chapter May 1, 2014!)

Two inspiring quotes from Sinek’s TED talks (available on YouTube):-“People don’t buy what you do. People buy why you do it.”-“What you do proves what you believe.”

Explain why you’ve created the product or offered the service at which your companyis great, and customers will want to be a part of it. Connect them with the ‘why,’ andthey will even pay what it’s worth. So important,yet many vendors seem to be trying togenerate sales simply by cutting prices.

One client for whom I do graphicdesign calls this the “Race to Zero.”Mike Van Horn with12voltnews.com worries about ven-dors in his industry who claim tohave no advertising budgets, and sothey cut prices to lure in customers.But customers never hear why thevendors do what they do. Van Hornnotes, “The customer never gets to un-derstand how the product can enrich theirlives.” So sales continue to lag, and theprices are cut yet again in hopes of stir-ring interest.

For better business in two steps: find yourcompany’s ‘why,’ then tell people about it. Advertising in print or broadcast is such an

established venue, it lends a certain credibility to anadvertisement. And tap into social media; cost-effec-tively bring your message to your most interestedcustomers. As Van Horn says, “Social media is justsuch a powerful way to connect with consumers.”

And it’s always in their pocket. According to interna-tional nonprofit CTIA-The Wireless Association, thereare 326.4 million active wireless devices in the U.S.(Census Bureau says the population is only 313.9million!) Facebook reports 1,000,000,000+ users in amonth. On Twitter, 200 million regular users. On In-stagram, 150 million use the app at least once amonth. Use all the data flying around social media tofine tune your audience so the people getting yourmessage are the people most likely to need or wantyour product or service.

In 2014, ‘start with why,’ bring your message to mar-ket, and earn a fair price.


Business Development

Jill MacchiavernaJill is Programs Committee Chair, Busi-ness Development Connection for theGreater Shreveport Chamber of Com-merce.

Answeringthe “Why”As you head into 2014, take thetime know why you do what you do

People don’t buywhat you do. Peoplebuy why you do it.

Simon Sinek


Cover Story

2013 was another eventful year for northwest Louisiana’sbusiness world. The year began with news that BentelerSteel/Tube would be building a multi-million dollar facility atthe Port of Caddo-Bossier still ringing in its ears from the endof 2012. Not only did this year see that project break ground,but the Port also added another new company in Ronpak.

Speaking of new additions, Margaritaville opened this summer, be-coming the newest resort-casino in Shreveport-Bossier’s gaming in-dustry. The growth and change of the area was exemplified in thedecision of non-profit, business incubator CoHab moving to a biggerbuilding in the Red River District under the Texas Street Bridge.

The year was also a time for firsts. The Bossier Chamber of Com-merce received their long-awaited Four Star Accreditation from theU.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Red River also hosted the FLW’s For-rest Wood Cup fishing championship for the first time, bringing newguests to the area and an influx of tourism dollars.

Below are the year’s biggest economic stories told through thepeople who witnessed or played a part in their happenings:

Margaritaville Resort-Casino opens

“The opening of Margaritaville has been a very rewarding experi-ence for me personally. It gave me the opportunity to come back toan area where I have very dear friends and again have the chance towork with some of the best people in the gaming industry. It was alsoa new opportunity to work with Margaritaville, one of the world’smost iconic entertainment brands, in an environment that supportsmusic, fun and the Jimmy Buffett lifestyle.” — Barry Regula, SeniorVice President and General Manager of Margaritaville Bossier City

Ronpak opens new plant in Shreveport

“Ronpak’s impact reaches beyond the 275 new jobs created or the$16.8 million capital investment. Ronpak’s decision to build its paperbag mill here and to relocate its corporate headquarters to NorthLouisiana sends a message to the world that this region and its peo-

ple are dedicated to helping businesses be successful. Ronpak’sheadquarters relocation is a testament to the great competitive ad-vantages found in North Louisiana: our highly productive workforce, abusiness friendly environment, and leadership willing to help compa-nies be competitive here. Even after the announcement, state, re-gional and local partners worked together to help Ronpak find andtrain a workforce and relocate key talent. The company was able totake advantage of the industrial readiness program at Bossier ParishCommunity College in order to train workers for its plant opening inJune 2013.” — Scott Martinez, President of North Louisiana EconomicPartnership

Bossier Chamber of Commerce receivesU.S. Chamber 4-Star Accreditation

“The United States Chamber of Commerce awarding us with a 4-Star Accreditation validates the Bossier Chamber for having programsthat benefit our local economy and for positively influencing action inthe community. Accreditation is the only national program that recog-nizes chambers for their effective organizational procedures and com-munity involvement. In order to receive Accreditation, a chambermust meet minimum standards in their operations and programs, in-cluding areas of governance, government affairs, and technology.Achieving four star accreditation is a testament to the staff and lead-ership of the Bossier Chamber, our business community, local govern-ment officials, and schools. We are honored to receive this 4-Starachievement and join the top 3% of Chambers nationwide.” — LisaJohnson, President & CEO of the Bossier Chamber of Commerce

FLW Forrest Wood Cup comes to the Red River

“The Shreveport Convention and Tourist Bureau did a survey of al-most 3,000 people and we calculated a total direct economic impactof $5.6 million. That was spent throughout the whole event and in-cluded hotel lodging, shopping, dining, and everything else. We had39,000 visitors and 49 percent spent an average of 2.5 nights inShreveport-Bossier. An average of 9,000 hotel rooms were occupiedand 2,215 of those were taken by staff working the event. It’s easy tosee the scale of an event like this coming to town. This was a tremen-dous success — we had visitors from 37 states, and even China. Itbrought a lot of fishing fans to town and they came to spend money.

Year in Review

Local notables recapprogress made duringthe past year

STORY BYSean Green

The Highlightsof 2013

Continued on Page 17


The moment I felt great about FLW was thehour-long special that aired on NBC andShreveport-Bossier looked great in HD on thatstage.” — Chris Jay, public relations and socialmedia manager for SBCTB

Benteler Steel/Tube breaks groundon new multi-million facility at thePort of Caddo-Bossier, training fa-cility at BPCC

“Benteler's investment in NorthLouisiana will dramatically affect our re-gional economy in a positive way. The deci-sion is validation of the collaborativeapproach by an array of public and privateentities to economic development in this re-gion. One of the key decision points for a com-pany in evaluating a site is the availability of askilled workforce or the potential to developone. The Center for Advanced ManufacturingTechnology on our campus will enable BossierParish Community College, in partnership withLED FastStart, to deliver on our promise that theworkforce of North Louisiana is second to none.”— Jim Henderson, Chancellor of BPCC

CoHab relocates to new space, fundsunique kitchen incubator through Kick-starter

“It was mission critical for us to have a long termsustainable location. The Red River District is a greatfit for us because while we are increasing opportuni-ties for entrepreneurs in a space designed specifi-cally for them, we are also helping to revitalize theriverfront with much needed foot traffic and life thatit needs to have in order for it to grow and we canfeed each other. The Kitchen Incubator lowers thebar for culinary entrepreneurs to get in the foodgame whether they be a catering business, offer anew food product, or our developing a restaurantbusiness. We provide them a kitchen to try out theirideas while offering sound business models andbest practices to take their ventures to the nextlevel. What comes out of our kitchen can be hyper-local or be a part of something that can spreadacross the nation.” — John Grindley, executive di-rector of CoHab

Continued From Page 14


The moment I felt great about FLW was thehour-long special that aired on NBC andShreveport-Bossier looked great in HD on thatstage.” — Chris Jay, public relations and socialmedia manager for SBCTB

Benteler Steel/Tube breaks groundon new multi-million facility at thePort of Caddo-Bossier, training fa-cility at BPCC

“Benteler's investment in NorthLouisiana will dramatically affect our re-gional economy in a positive way. The deci-sion is validation of the collaborativeapproach by an array of public and privateentities to economic development in this re-gion. One of the key decision points for a com-pany in evaluating a site is the availability of askilled workforce or the potential to developone. The Center for Advanced ManufacturingTechnology on our campus will enable BossierParish Community College, in partnership withLED FastStart, to deliver on our promise that theworkforce of North Louisiana is second to none.”— Jim Henderson, Chancellor of BPCC

CoHab relocates to new space, fundsunique kitchen incubator through Kick-starter

“It was mission critical for us to have a long termsustainable location. The Red River District is a greatfit for us because while we are increasing opportuni-ties for entrepreneurs in a space designed specifi-cally for them, we are also helping to revitalize theriverfront with much needed foot traffic and life thatit needs to have in order for it to grow and we canfeed each other. The Kitchen Incubator lowers thebar for culinary entrepreneurs to get in the foodgame whether they be a catering business, offer anew food product, or our developing a restaurantbusiness. We provide them a kitchen to try out theirideas while offering sound business models andbest practices to take their ventures to the nextlevel. What comes out of our kitchen can be hyper-local or be a part of something that can spreadacross the nation.” — John Grindley, executive di-rector of CoHab

Cover Story

Continued From Page 14


2013 proved to be year where our commu-nities rallied to overcome challenges.After the loss of one of our largest em-ployers, General Motors, our regionfought back to recruit historic projectsand big wins to Northwest Louisiana.

The big economic development story for 2013remains Benteler Steel/Tube’s groundbreaking ofits state-of-the-art steel tube mill at the Port ofCaddo-Bossier in September. This historic $975million capital investment will create 675 newjobs for our area. Another interesting facet tothis project is the $22 million workforce trainingcenter currently under construction on theBossier Parish Community College (BPCC) cam-pus.

The BPCC Center for Advanced Manufacturingand Engineering Technology will not only buildour region’s capacity to train an advanced manu-

facturing workforce but will also enhance ourability to attract new manufacturers. This projectrepresents a collaborative effort by state, re-gional and local partners coming together to re-cruit this historic project to North Louisiana.

Ronpak opened its new 155,000 square footpaper bag mill in June at the Port of Caddo-Bossier. It is the first new paper bag mill in morethan a decade anywhere in the United States.The fact that Ronpak chose to locate its planthere and to relocate its corporate headquartersto Northwest Louisiana is a true testament to theadvantages of doing business in our region andto the productivity of our experienced workforce.

Other major projects in 2013 include Teleperfor-mance, a multi-national customer care companybased in France, which expanded not just oncebut twice this year, creating a total of 1,040 jobs.Because of our longstanding relationship with

this company, NLEP and its state and local part-ners were able to assist the company with apply-ing for state incentives thus securing theexpansions.

After having to downsize its workforce in June,Libbey Glass came back in November with a $20million expansion that will create 70 new jobsand retain 511 existing jobs at its Shreveport fa-cility. This expansion would not have been possi-ble without a concerted effort from state,regional and local leaders to open the lines ofcommunication and to build stronger relation-ships with Libbey’s corporate officials. NLEP,Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover, Louisiana Eco-nomic Development officials, and Caddo Parishofficials visited the Libbey Glass headquarters inToledo, Ohio as part of a collaborative commit-ment to our local industries’ presence and suc-cess.

While our region experienced economic chal-lenges this year, what will truly define 2013 ishow our communities met those challenges withdetermination and strong leadership.

On the Economic Development Front

Scott MartinezPresident, NLEP

He is the President of North LouisianaEconomic Partnership (NLEP), a public-private partnership dedicated to pro-moting economic development inNorth Louisiana. Send comments [email protected].

Overcoming Challenges

is recently retired from bpcc

where she was a professor for

25 years. bpcc is most grateful

for her talents in educating

and empowering the minds of

future business professionals.

Pat Wyatt

Benteler Steel, Ronpack, others lead economicdevelopment in northwest Louisiana in 2013


2013 proved to be year where our commu-nities rallied to overcome challenges.After the loss of one of our largest em-ployers, General Motors, our regionfought back to recruit historic projectsand big wins to Northwest Louisiana.

The big economic development story for 2013remains Benteler Steel/Tube’s groundbreaking ofits state-of-the-art steel tube mill at the Port ofCaddo-Bossier in September. This historic $975million capital investment will create 675 newjobs for our area. Another interesting facet tothis project is the $22 million workforce trainingcenter currently under construction on theBossier Parish Community College (BPCC) cam-pus.

The BPCC Center for Advanced Manufacturingand Engineering Technology will not only buildour region’s capacity to train an advanced manu-

facturing workforce but will also enhance ourability to attract new manufacturers. This projectrepresents a collaborative effort by state, re-gional and local partners coming together to re-cruit this historic project to North Louisiana.

Ronpak opened its new 155,000 square footpaper bag mill in June at the Port of Caddo-Bossier. It is the first new paper bag mill in morethan a decade anywhere in the United States.The fact that Ronpak chose to locate its planthere and to relocate its corporate headquartersto Northwest Louisiana is a true testament to theadvantages of doing business in our region andto the productivity of our experienced workforce.

Other major projects in 2013 include Teleperfor-mance, a multi-national customer care companybased in France, which expanded not just oncebut twice this year, creating a total of 1,040 jobs.Because of our longstanding relationship with

this company, NLEP and its state and local part-ners were able to assist the company with apply-ing for state incentives thus securing theexpansions.

After having to downsize its workforce in June,Libbey Glass came back in November with a $20million expansion that will create 70 new jobsand retain 511 existing jobs at its Shreveport fa-cility. This expansion would not have been possi-ble without a concerted effort from state,regional and local leaders to open the lines ofcommunication and to build stronger relation-ships with Libbey’s corporate officials. NLEP,Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover, Louisiana Eco-nomic Development officials, and Caddo Parishofficials visited the Libbey Glass headquarters inToledo, Ohio as part of a collaborative commit-ment to our local industries’ presence and suc-cess.

While our region experienced economic chal-lenges this year, what will truly define 2013 ishow our communities met those challenges withdetermination and strong leadership.

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NWLA Tourism

The Holiday Trail of Lights, originallycreated between Texas and Louisianapartners, was started to generate busi-ness during the two slowest monthsfor tourism – November and Decem-ber. City officials in the six partnering

cities of Shreveport-Bossier, Natchitoches andMarshall, Jefferson and Kilgore, Texas believedthat holiday cheer, twinkling lights and festiveevents could fill hotel rooms, restaurants andretail outlets.

That was nearly three decades ago. Thetrail is now all Louisiana cities with the addi-tion of Minden, Monroe-West Monroe andAlexandria/Pineville. The most recent eco-nomic impact study of the holidays in Shreve-port-Bossier estimated that out-of-townvisitors spent $26 million and left behindmore than $610,000 in sales tax revenue.

“The trail is still our main tourism drawduring November and December, and it helpshaving the entire region to promote to grouptour operators and leisure visitors,” said StacyBrown, president of the Shreveport-BossierConvention and Tourist Bureau. Visitors andgroups are always looking to reinvent theirexperience, and Shreveport-Bossier attrac-

tions have added several new holiday eventsto an already busy roster of Christmas eventsplanned for 2013.

Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science Center, a92,000 square-foot science and entertain-ment center located at 820 Clyde Fant Park-way in downtown Shreveport, will introduce“Deck the Dome! A Holiday Laser Light Show,”1 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, Nov. 30-Dec.29, inside of Louisiana’s only IMAX Dome The-ater. The 20-minute program will include laserlights, LEDs, holiday music and more. Admis-sion is $6 for the general public or $4 for Sci-Port members.

The community will experience a real treat,Dec. 13-14, when Cirque du Soleil’s “Varekai”comes to CenturyLink Center in Bossier City.The production is normally a big top tent pro-duction. This will be its first time as an arenashow. The cast includes acrobats, musicians,singers and performers from all over theworld. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and ticketsrange in price from $42-$72.

In order to better package and promoteholiday events in Shreveport-Bossier, a newannual publication called The Holly Jolly

Handbook was introduced in 2012. Availablefor free at visitor centers operated by thetourist bureau in Bossier City and Shreveport,the guide compiles more than three dozenholiday festivals, parades, shopping extrava-ganzas and more. Published in October, thepocket-sized brochure has been a hit with vis-itors and locals alike.

As the holidays quickly approach, be sureto leave room on your schedule to experienceevents in some of the partnering LouisianaHoliday Trail of Lights cities. Minden offers afull day of activities with its “Wrap it Up inMinden” event, Dec. 7. Alexandria/Pinevillehas a Christmas Parade, Dec. 6 in Pineville andDec. 8 in Alexandria. Monroe-West Monroe isoffering parades, shopping, fireworks and theCommander Christmas Flotilla and Light Showevery weekend through Dec. 14. Of course,Natchitoches hosts the granddaddy of all holi-day events, the 87th Festival of Lights com-plete with fireworks, every Saturday, Dec.7-Jan. 4.

To learn more about these and otherevents, visit www.Holiday-TrailofLights.com.

Christmas on the Square in Bentonis but one stop on the Holiday Trailof Lights, offering entertainmentand shopping.

Louisiana Boardwalk is againsporting its signature Christmastree.

Happy Holiday TrailsHoliday Trail of Lights features communities throughout region

STORY BYChris Jay


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From the Bossier Chamber

The 2013 year has offered the BossierChamber of Commerce several suc-cesses to celebrate, all of which couldnot have been achieved without thesupport of our community partnersand members. On behalf of the

Bossier Chamber of Commerce, we extend asincere thank you to all of our stakeholdersfor allowing us the opportunity to advocatefor the growth of the community in which welive.

A few of the highlights stemming from thisyear’s work demonstrate our commitment tothe community to promote the advancementof the civic, commercial, industrial, technolog-ical and agricultural interests of Bossier Parishall while promoting the general welfare andprosperity of the Parish and the stimulation ofthe public’s interests on key issues.

U.S. Chamber Awards the BossierChamber of Commerce with 4-StarAccreditation The United States Chamber of Commerceawarded the Bossier Chamber of Commercewith 4-Star Accreditation for its sound poli-cies, effective organizational procedures, andpositive impact on the community.

“Accreditation validates a chamber as havingprograms that benefit their local economy andfor positively influencing action in their com-munity,” said Raymond P. Towle, IOM, CAE, U.S.Chamber Executive Director of Political Affairsand Federation Relations. “We applaud theseorganizations for advancing the principles offree enterprise.”

Accreditation is the only national program thatrecognizes chambers for their effective orga-

nizational procedures and community involve-ment. In order to receive Accreditation, achamber must meet minimum standards intheir operations and programs, includingareas of governance, government affairs, andtechnology. This extensive self-review cantake 6-9 months to complete.

“Achieving four star accreditation from theU.S. Chamber is a huge compliment to notonly the staff and leadership of the BossierChamber, it is a testament to the growth andinnovative thinking of our business commu-nity, local government officials, school sys-tems and their collective commitment to thearea,” said Jason Smith, V.P. of Citizen’s Na-tional Bank and Chairman of the BossierChamber Board of Directors. “The U.S. Cham-ber recognizes our Chamber’s commitment tothe business community in conferring this ac-creditation.”

Bossier Chamber President Lisa Johnsonadded, “We are honored to receive this 4-Starachievement and join the top 3% of Cham-bers nationwide.”

Local chambers are rated Accredited, 3-Stars,4-Stars, or 5-Stars. State chambers are recog-

nized as either Accredited State Chamber orAccredited State Chamber with Distinction.The final determination is made by the Ac-crediting Board, a committee of U.S. Chamberboard members.

Government RelationsAs a business owner, manager, employee, orcommunity member, your time is valuable andit becomes necessary to connect with peoplewho can listen to your concerns, understandhow they affect your company and have a sin-cere interest in the growth of your business.That is why the Bossier Chamber makes it ourpriority to stay on the front lines of the politi-cal and legislative process at the federal,state, and local levels, we want to ensure thatpublic policy decisions adequately take intoaccount the needs of our business member’sconcerns. This year through partnerships andbusiness advocacy, the Bossier Chamber hasworked to develop a skilled and competitiveworkforce to meet the needs of the 21st cen-tury.

The demand for skilled workers in Science,Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) inour regional economy continues to grow. TheChamber has recognized this need and be-lieves BPCC could help in providing resourcesto meet those educational needs.

A top priority of the chamber and our leader-ship is excellence in education from pre-k

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What a Year It WasBossier Chamber of Commerce earns 4-star Accreditation, advocates for members


From the Bossier Chamber

through higher education; a determinedfocus that consistently strives for qualityworkforce; the enrichment of each person’squality of life, and the progression of eco-nomic development. In order to keep ourcommunity competitive, we must invest ineducation—the key to future growth in oureconomy. The Chamber took a leading role inadvocating partnerships with LCTCS, statecommunity colleges and chambers acrossthe state for SB204 by Senator Adley—com-munity and technical college “Facilities witha Purpose”. This bill will provide BossierParish Community College with $18.5 millionfor the Science, Technology, Engineering andMathematics (STEM) building.

This new state of the art, high-tech multi-usefacility will move us in the direction of beingable to educate and train Louisiana citizensfor great paying jobs in a 21st century work-force.

In addition to advocating for higher educa-tion and workforce development, the BossierChamber of Commerce along with NorthLouisiana Economic Partnership, BatonRouge Area Chamber, New Orleans Down-town Development District, PHARMA, Pfizer,Tulane University, Ochsner Health Systems,Louisiana State Medical Society, BioDistrictNew Orleans, New Orleans BioInnovationCenter, and the City of New Orleans were in-

strumental in supporting a major piece ofhealthcare legistlation that would promoteefforts of healthcare research in the state ofLouisiana.

With Northwest Louisiana employing 25,000healthcare workers, harboring 59 hospitalsand a medical school, this region is consid-ered a major healthcare hub.

Act 320, championed by Rep. Walt Leger, re-ceived unanimous support in both the Houseand Senate and secured 43 co-authors, in-cluding Representatives Roy Burrell, CharlesChaney, Marcus Hunter, Jim Morris andPatrick Williams, and Senators Sherri SmithBuffington, Bob Kostelka, Neil Riser, GregoryTarver, and Francis Thompson. “Act 320 pro-vides our area with an additional tool to helpthe continual development of the bio-science/healthcare industry.

The establishment of the MediFund will fur-ther support the investment and collabora-tion in university research, increase careeroriented workforce development, and helpwith recruitment and retention of new com-panies,” said Lisa Johnson, President andCEO, Bossier Chamber of Commerce.

Military RelationsSupporting the local military men andwomen stationed in the area is a big part ofthe Bossier Chamber’s advocacy platform.The Military Relations Committee of theBossier Chamber pledges to strengthen real-ity and perception of Bossier Parish andBarksdale Air Force Base as a desired loca-tion for assignment and tour of duty.

With an economic impact upwards of 1 bil-lion annually, the Chamber is committed tostrengthen the community through military-friendly programs. The Chamber overseesseveral instrumental programs aimed at vet-erans, active duty military and their families. The Military Recognition Program is a greatexample of how the Chamber works for itsmilitary partners. This program honors bothlocal civilian and military members for theiroutstanding work in and support of the mili-tary. The Bossier Chamber was able to in-crease the number of awards given throughthe release of the Military Challenge coinwhich was awarded to 65 individuals in2013.

In partnership with the US Chamber of Com-merce, Goodwill of NWLA, the Bossier Cham-ber held two veterans’ job fairs, serving over

200 area veterans and their families. Jobfairs such as these help the local workforceto obtain skilled workers, such as thosewhose talents have been shaped by theirservice in the military.

Bossier Youth Leadership20th ANNIVERSARYBossier Youth Leadership celebrated its 20thAnniversary this year! This collaboration be-tween the Bossier Parish School System andthe Bossier Chamber of Commerce acts as amission for focusing on juniors throughoutthe Bossier Parish High Schools. The premiseof this organization is to strengthen leader-ship skills in our youth by emphasizing com-munity awareness and leadershipdevelopment through active, hands on par-ticipation.

The reunion brought together BYL graduatesfrom the programs infancy in 1993 to ourcurrent group of 2013 participants. Thisnight of celebration served as a great re-minder for what this program does for notonly the community but the youth who areshaped and developed by its focus on lead-ership.

Know what you’re buying when you’re buying

Dear Dave,I have an opportunity to buy a small business. What should I look for and what things should Icheck on before I make my decision?Al

Dear Al,The first thing you have to be absolutely certain of is that you’re going to wake up every morn-ing and be excited you get to go to work again. Business owners must be passionate abouttheir line of work because they’re going to be involved in each aspect of it every single day.Your vocation needs to be a vacation. Otherwise, it becomes a constant grind, and when thathappens you’re in trouble.

As far as buying a business is concerned, you’ll want to take your time and really dig intothings. In many ways, a business is only worth the income it creates, and just because it has agreat location doesn’t mean you’ll make money. Who cares if they have a great name in thecommunity if the business doesn’t generate an income? The same thing goes for having abrand everyone knows. If they’re not monetizing it, who cares? It all comes down to the netprofit of the business.

Sometimes people buy businesses on multiples of gross sales before expenses. You may knowenough about that particular business to understand that you run it for a certain number ofpercentage points of the gross. In that case, you’ll know what your profit will be. But most ofthe time when buying a small business, especially if you’re a rookie, you need to concentrateon gross revenue, expense details and the profit generated as a result.

Once you’ve done that, you’ll want to ask what you will make on your money. If you’re going totake on the risk of a small business, you want to be able to make at least 20 percent on it. Inother words, if you buy a business for $100,000, it needs to make at least $20,000 a year.

The least it’s worth is called book value. Once you own the business, if you collected all the re-ceivables, sold off all the equipment and inventory then closed the business, what would youhave in your pocket? That’s the book value. If the current owner has $40,000 in inventory,$30,000 worth of equipment and $30,000 in receivables, the book value would be $100,000just if you close it. Those are your floor and ceiling values. Somewhere in between you’ll find afair price.

And remember this: If someone says a business does $65,000 a year, but they only pay taxeson $40,000, that means all they made was $40,000. If they don’t report it to the government,it doesn’t count. Don’t pull that under-the-table kind of stuff. A business is worth what is re-ported to the government, so take a good, hard look at the tax returns.Lastly, do some research and find out if there’s someone in the same business, in another city,who would mentor you for a while. It just might be worth the price of a plane ticket to picktheir brain and just listen to what they have to say. Chances are if they’ve been in business fora while, they know the ins and outs of the industry. Good luck, Al!

Dave

Time to collectDear Dave,I have a small business doing work on houses. We have lots of repeat business, but sometimes

people don’t pay and we have to drop them as customers.Do you have any advice for avoiding these situations? Steve

Dear Steve,Virtually every small-business owner runs into this prob-lem. The truth is collecting isn’t a customer problem; it’s asales problem on the part of the business.

When we sell advertising for my radio show then havetrouble collecting, it means we sold the account improp-erly. Now, what is a properly sold account? A properly soldaccount is one in which we approached a qualified cus-tomer who had money, and the relationship was con-structed in such a way that they realized from thebeginning paying us on time was an –important—evenvital—part of the relationship.

When we sit down with potential advertisers, we make itclear that we will bill them exactly on the 25th of themonth. We also stress that we expect to be paid within fivedays. If we don’t have your payment by the first of the nextmonth, you’ll be getting a phone call. Then, if you don’t re-spond to the call by the 15th, you won’t advertise with usever again.

That may sound harsh, but I believe a thorough under-standing is essential in all business transactions. It keepsthings professional and eliminates a lot of unnecessarystress for you, your team and your bottom line!Dave


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Chris JayPublic Relations and Social MediaManager, Shreveport Bossier Conven-tion and Tourist Bureau. He is amonthly contributor to Biz. Magazine.


Dave Says — On Business

Dave RamseyDave Ramsey is America’s trustedvoice on money and business. He’s au-thored four New York Times best-sell-ing books: Financial Peace, More ThanEnough, The Total Money Makeoverand EntreLeadership. The Dave Ram-sey Show is heard by more than 6 mil-lion listeners each week on more than500 radio stations. Follow Dave onTwitter at @DaveRamsey and on theweb at daveramsey.com.

Know what you’re buying when you’re buying

Dear Dave,I have an opportunity to buy a small business. What should I look for and what things should Icheck on before I make my decision?Al

Dear Al,The first thing you have to be absolutely certain of is that you’re going to wake up every morn-ing and be excited you get to go to work again. Business owners must be passionate abouttheir line of work because they’re going to be involved in each aspect of it every single day.Your vocation needs to be a vacation. Otherwise, it becomes a constant grind, and when thathappens you’re in trouble.

As far as buying a business is concerned, you’ll want to take your time and really dig intothings. In many ways, a business is only worth the income it creates, and just because it has agreat location doesn’t mean you’ll make money. Who cares if they have a great name in thecommunity if the business doesn’t generate an income? The same thing goes for having abrand everyone knows. If they’re not monetizing it, who cares? It all comes down to the netprofit of the business.

Sometimes people buy businesses on multiples of gross sales before expenses. You may knowenough about that particular business to understand that you run it for a certain number ofpercentage points of the gross. In that case, you’ll know what your profit will be. But most ofthe time when buying a small business, especially if you’re a rookie, you need to concentrateon gross revenue, expense details and the profit generated as a result.

Once you’ve done that, you’ll want to ask what you will make on your money. If you’re going totake on the risk of a small business, you want to be able to make at least 20 percent on it. Inother words, if you buy a business for $100,000, it needs to make at least $20,000 a year.

The least it’s worth is called book value. Once you own the business, if you collected all the re-ceivables, sold off all the equipment and inventory then closed the business, what would youhave in your pocket? That’s the book value. If the current owner has $40,000 in inventory,$30,000 worth of equipment and $30,000 in receivables, the book value would be $100,000just if you close it. Those are your floor and ceiling values. Somewhere in between you’ll find afair price.

And remember this: If someone says a business does $65,000 a year, but they only pay taxeson $40,000, that means all they made was $40,000. If they don’t report it to the government,it doesn’t count. Don’t pull that under-the-table kind of stuff. A business is worth what is re-ported to the government, so take a good, hard look at the tax returns.Lastly, do some research and find out if there’s someone in the same business, in another city,who would mentor you for a while. It just might be worth the price of a plane ticket to picktheir brain and just listen to what they have to say. Chances are if they’ve been in business fora while, they know the ins and outs of the industry. Good luck, Al!

Dave

Time to collectDear Dave,I have a small business doing work on houses. We have lots of repeat business, but sometimes

people don’t pay and we have to drop them as customers.Do you have any advice for avoiding these situations? Steve

Dear Steve,Virtually every small-business owner runs into this prob-lem. The truth is collecting isn’t a customer problem; it’s asales problem on the part of the business.

When we sell advertising for my radio show then havetrouble collecting, it means we sold the account improp-erly. Now, what is a properly sold account? A properly soldaccount is one in which we approached a qualified cus-tomer who had money, and the relationship was con-structed in such a way that they realized from thebeginning paying us on time was an –important—evenvital—part of the relationship.

When we sit down with potential advertisers, we make itclear that we will bill them exactly on the 25th of themonth. We also stress that we expect to be paid within fivedays. If we don’t have your payment by the first of the nextmonth, you’ll be getting a phone call. Then, if you don’t re-spond to the call by the 15th, you won’t advertise with usever again.

That may sound harsh, but I believe a thorough under-standing is essential in all business transactions. It keepsthings professional and eliminates a lot of unnecessarystress for you, your team and your bottom line!Dave


Chris JayPublic Relations and Social MediaManager, Shreveport Bossier Conven-tion and Tourist Bureau. He is amonthly contributor to Biz. Magazine.


Lunch Break

If you should find yourself with an eggplant,you could do a lot worse than slice it up andfry it. From Sicilian to Cajun, lots of theworld’s great food cultures have figured thisout. My in-laws pan fry thick slices of egg-plant and cover them in Cajun seasoning, and

the results are delicious. But the crispy, sweetand spicy fried eggplant served up at Pita de’Novo (8510 Youree Drive, Shreveport) may bethe best I’ve ever had.

Heavily battered and fried, drizzled with a garlicand cilantro sauce and served with a cup ofroasted red pepper dip, this dish takes an inno-cent, healthy vegetable and introduces it to a lifeof crime. The final product could easily be some-thing you’d find on a State Fair midway: crispy onthe outside, tender on the inside, and decadent

fun to eat. A platter ($7.99) includes about sixlarge eggplant discs; smaller servings are avail-able as an appetizer ($3.99) and sandwich($5.99).

Pita de Novo opened recently in a small store-front near LSU Shreveport. Atmosphere is ex-tremely casual – food is served on paper plates.For the most part, the menu is what you’d expectto find at any number of Greek and Lebaneserestaurants: gyros, falafel, stuffed grape leaves,spinach pies, etc. Gyro towers spin slowly on ver-tical roasters behind the counter. The gyro meat –a 20% lamb, 80% beef mix, according to themanager – is yummy as well, but it’ll be hard forme not to order a bunch of fried eggplantany time I visit.

This Is How YouEat EggplantPita de Novo offers variety of dishes

The fried eggplant at Pitade Novo.

Pita de Novo also has gyros, falafel andother dishes.

Chris Jay reviews local food every Tuesday atwww.20x49.com.


During every episode of the television show BLUE BLOODS, the entire Reagan familyshares a dinner together. It is one of my favorite shows, mostly for that dinner sceneeach week. They appreciate the food in front of them and the hands that prepared it.They share and discuss the events of the week and learn different perspectives ofthose events from each other. Each person at the table is valued, wanted, needed,and feels a part of something larger than themselves. They learn and grow together.

Those dinner scenes leave me with a feeling of contentment, comfort, and anticipation for thenext episode.

That same sense of good will and comfort can be created at work with your employees. Ofcourse, I am not suggesting that you prepare a beautiful table complete with a family meal andbeverages. Do you have weekly meetings for your work group or department? Such regularlyscheduled meetings can have the same positive effect on a work family as a home family.

When such meetings are conducted in an uplifting and positive manner, it generates loyalty,team mentality, cooperation, enjoyment, and more productive employees. This is employeeengagement. Here are some tips:

Truly value each employee and the talents they bring. Through example, teach your employ-ees to focus on the positive qualities of each other.

Draw out those that are naturally quiet or shy. Everyone should have the opportunity to shareand offer comments without fear of snide remarks. Insist on respect from everyone at alltimes.

Include time for personal items of importance. Knowing about the life events of co-workers ispart of caring about each other.

We humans become more verbal when we share food together. Take turns bringing a lightsnack. Being responsible for that week’s snack generates a sense of responsibility to thegroup. Be sure to verbally appreciate the person who brings the treat each time.

Discuss events from the week. Share praise and congratulations for the successes. In a sup-portive manner, discuss lessons learned from any failures.

Ensure each person understands what everyone else’s roleis and how it fits into the larger picture of the organization.This helps employees feel value in their contribution andin each other.

The meeting should be mandatory. Once each personfeels valued, wanted, needed, and a part of somethinglarger than themselves, they will all want to come to thetable.

Business Etiquette

Come tothe TableMeetings can be a timeof appreciation, growth

Teri HaynesBusiness Credibilityand Etiquette Consultant


SpotlightGet in the Spotlight

Each Month, BIZ will feature a business or entrepreneurthat is making a difference in Shreveport-Bossier.

In Shreveport-Bossier, there’s no AppleStore for the growing base of users. Sowhat happens when your your kid dropsyour iPad or your Macbook goes on thefritz? Or, even worse for some, youriPhone won’t turn on?

For the burgeoning world of Apple users,there is a local entrepreneur who is there tohelp new converts and longtime fans.

Thomas Avallone is the founder andmanager of Maccentric in Shreveport. TheShreveport native’s store is the only lo-cally-owned Apple Authorized ServiceProvider in the area since 2006. Mac-centric services and supports therange of Apple products, from Macnotebook and desktop computersto iPads and iPhones as well as

soft-

ware.“When we opened, the previous Apple-

authorized shop in town had been shutteredfor nearly six years. If you lived here andyou required Apple-authorized service, youeither had to get on I-20 to Dallas or facili-tate a mail-in repair to the depot. Our busi-ness was founded for the sole purpose ofproviding local Apple users with the servicethat we believe they deserve,” said Aval-

lone.

His Apple fandom began at the age of 10when he was given a Macintosh SE/30.

After graduating from Centenary Collegein Shreveport, Avallone began working forApple Retail at the Apple Store Willow Bendin Plano, Texas. As an original staff memberthat helped open the store in August, 2001,he was an employee of only the third AppleStore in the world.

“Something about (that first computer)struck me as special, almost magical, andover the years, I fell in love with Apple andits philosophy toward its products and mis-sion,” he said.

In the decade since, he has returnedhome and turned his love into a businessthat offers support and training classes foreverything Apple.

It’s fitting that his philosophy suits theApple ethos of going above and beyond —Avallone is always willing to go that extramile for the customer.

“We don't do mediocrity at Maccentric. Ihad a college professor at Centenary oncetell the class, ‘The difference between goodand excellent is just 10% more effortthan the next guy is willing togive.’

We work give that 10% and more.”Keeping that approach in mind, Aval-

lone’s advice to local business leaders is toforget the old adage, “It's not personal, it'sjust business." He says you should makeyour work personal.

“When it's your business, it's all personal.Make it personal. Because when it's per-sonal, you care. You care a lot. You mighteven care more than what others might con-sider healthy or reasonable sometimes, butthat passion will lead you to do great work.”

And his business has seen a bump, mov-ing to the Shoppes at Bellemead location onYouree Drive in order to suit its customerbase and increase its visibility.

“We have already found that our new lo-cation in Shoppes at Bellemead has broughtus to the attention of a lot of folks as theyhave visited our fellow tenants or just goingabout their errands on Youree Drive. Theymay not need us now, but they know wherewe are now when they do,” said Avallone.

The Original“MAC GUY”

Maccentric has been in the Applerepair Business since 2006


SINCE 1894, CHRISTUS HEALTH SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER has extended the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to those we serve.

TODAY, AS WE INVEST $55 MILLION to redesign and expand our services at CHRISTUS Highland Hospital, our commitment to our community and mission remains unchanged.

WE WILL ALWAYS BE HERE … AND YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE.

VIEW OFCHRISTUS Highland BERT KOUNS SOUTH

www. christushealthsb. org

biz. magazine - december 2013

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